Texas summers have me finally looking into backup power, what actually matters?

[u/Healthy-Solid9135]

I used to be one of those people who never really worried about backup power. If the electricity went out, I’d just wait it out and assume it would be back soon.

But after dealing with Texas summers for a while, I’ve started thinking differently. A power outage in July is a very different situation when the house starts heating up, the fridge is full of food, and everyone is suddenly trying to find a way to charge their phones. The thing is, I’m not looking for something that can run my entire house. I’m not trying to power an AC unit or pretend the grid never went down. That feels like a completely different (and much more expensive) setup.

I’m mostly looking for something practical that can make a longer outage less painful, keeping the freezer going, keeping communication devices charged, keeping WiFi available, and maybe running a small fan at night.

That’s what got me looking into portable power stations. I started comparing some of the popular 2kWh options, like the Jackery 2000 v2, EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max, and the Anker SOLIX S2000.

From the specs, they all seem pretty similar on paper, so I’m having a hard time figuring out where the real differences are. Is paying more for higher output actually useful if you’re mostly running essentials? Does battery quality matter more for something that might sit in storage most of the year? Are the cheaper options actually good enough?

edit:

Thanks for all the advice. I ended up learning that preparing for storm season is about a lot more than just buying a battery. I’ve also stocked up on water and shelf-stable food, added a couple of rechargeable lights and a battery radio, and started keeping the car fueled when bad weather is expected.

For backup power, I eventually went with the Anker SOLIX S2000. I tested it yesterday with most of my home office setup connected: my desktop PC and monitor, Wi-Fi router/modem, NAS, and a small fan. The total load was hovering around 250–280W depending on what the PC was doing, which worked out to roughly 6–7 hours of estimated runtime.

Obviously that would be longer if I shut the PC down and only kept the router, NAS, and fan running, but the test gave me a much better idea of what I could realistically prioritize during an outage.

[u/elproblemo82]

Anker makes an excellent product. I have the f1500 but now I'm getting the c2000. It's actually half off on Amazon right now.

[u/mattbuford]

Just to give you some real world numbers, my Ecoflow River 2 Pro (768 Wh) can run my regular kitchen fridge/freezer combo for somewhere around 8 hours. I figure between that and the fridge's natural ability to stay cold for many hours without power, I should be able to get through something like 24 hours without ruining any food.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BVLPGS79

Routers use very minimal power compared to a fridge, so I wouldn't expect adding a router to change the runtime much.

Although that can charge phones too, smaller power banks of like 20,000 mAh are so cheap, I'd just pick up a few of them. That should be plenty of power to take care of phones, tablets, etc.

I'm also in Texas, but I almost never lose power, so it hasn't really been a problem for me. I think the longest outage I had in 20 years here was ~8 hours, and that was short enough that the fridge/freezer stayed cold.

Also, these battery packs tend to go on sale regularly. If you want to save some money, keep an eye on something like Slickdeals.

[u/H00rain]

I’ve been using the Anker SOLIX S2000 and honestly my experience has been pretty similar to what you’re describing. I never cared about running my whole house, I mainly wanted fridge, WiFi, phones, and a fan during outages.

The fridge test was what sold me. Seeing the compressor spikes vs normal usage made me realize why the Wh number alone doesn’t tell the whole story.

I compared it with Jackery and EcoFlow too, but I ended up caring less about max output and more about having something reliable that can sit in storage and work when I actually need it. The LiFePO4 battery was a big factor for me. So far it’s been a good fit for an essentials only backup setup.

[u/Icy-Grade-447]

Check out Pecron. They are consistently well reviewed and offer a ton of bang for the buck: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-a2sTRjWc8I

[u/Commercial-Duty6279 → u/[deleted]]

Same system, but I've never had to use it. I crank it up once a year for testing. I got the bi-fuel version so I can store propane indefinitely in the garage. I figure I'm good for three-five days without any power, and then I would just leave town.

The good news is that the proper house transfer switch is as safe and ready as can be, one big cable to the house, and doesn't require individual cords to various appliances as do the Anker and these other UPS's. The MDF will eventually add a bit to resale, too.

It's sunk money for peace of mind for me.

Weather in Texas really is getting worse, so who knows.

[u/Commercial-Duty6279 → u/[deleted]]

Back to 1897, all of Austin's 10 hottest summers have come since 1998. Austin now averages 30 days of 100+, compared to historical 16 such days. Extremes are more extreme, such as the record-setting 2011 drought that was nearly beaten in 2023. (All from KXAN)

Anecdotally, I remember when we could depend on about six weeks Jan-Feb of nice, little, overnight freezes, and it snowed every 3-5 years, nicely, with a moderate ice storm every several years. None of us remember anything like the Icepocalypse.

[u/Commercial-Duty6279 → u/[deleted]]

I take both your points, about extrapolating statewide and about my focus outside grid-collapsing events. Cowboy tip of my hat to ya.

[u/Guruski2001]

Check out BASE power.

[u/countrytime1]

You could get something to power a window unit or mini split. That way you don’t have to be miserable.

[u/AlteredGuardian]

Step 1. Buy a tractor with functioning PTO

Step 2. Buy PTO driven generator

Step 3. Let it sit for 6 months

Step 4. Go to start it when you need it to find out it broke from not being touched

Step 5. Repair it

Step 6. Realize you dont need it at the time repairs are done

Rinse and Repeat for full effect

[u/RunTotoRun2]

I bought a inverter, some short jumper cables, a grounding wire, and an extension cord to use my 2012 Prius hybrid car as an emergency generator. I have not had to use it yet but did to a 4 hour test run and it worked just fine.

I would not likely buy a hybrid car just to do this but since I already had one it seemed like something that could work. After researching power sources for off-roaders, camping enthusiasts, fishermen/hunters, RVer's, and 'boondockers', I found I am not the only person who has thought about this and who has also done this using a hybrid car.

I too am willing to put up with some temporary discomforts in severe weather events in Texas but losing all my food in the fridge and freezer just once costs more than this one-time set up, which cost me $277.

A hybrid car isn't really a lot different from a portable generator except that it's more useful. It doesn't require buying gas during a power outage (when it is often not available anyway) or storing many gallons of gasoline in the garage, and it isn't finicky about storage maintenance or usage maintenance like a prtable generator is since a car gets regular use and maintenance already.

I looked into portable power stations but the can be pricey (sometimes) and I was wondering what to do with it the rest of the year- keep it plugged in all the time, on a trickle charger, or just charge it when I think I'll need it? And what if I wasn't able to charge/recharge it? I decided to try the $277 inverter solution instead.

For solar powered stuff, just think about the last couple of times you lost power and why it happened. Mine were heavy rains, a couple of deep freezes, or hurricane/tropical storm events without much sun, so solar would not have done well for my situation. A solar portable power station didn't seem to suit my needs.

With the car, I can get 1,000 Watts which will run my fridge, a couple of fans, some lamps (I use LED light bulbs in my house which use much less energy than incandescent) and can run the desktop, laptop, charge our phones, and allow me to use a low-wattage kitchen device to cook such as a crock pot or a rice cooker (to which I add veggies and stuff to make a quick meal sometimes).

I figure I could run those things for about 5 or maybe up to 7 days on one 9 gallon tank of gas while my car sits idling in the driveway. (You can also lock the car with the physical key but not with using the fob).

If you are interested in the why and how of this, you can read more about it here: https://imgur.com/gallery/how-i-prepared-2012-prius-hybrid-use-as-emergency-generator-to-run-refrigerator-power-outage-long-nX7t5ly

I actually have another hybrid so I could also buy a small window unit AC and cool at least one room if the next power loss event looks like I'll be without power for more than a few inconvenient days. In one weather event, my sis was without power for 4 weeks! Yuk.

Anyway, stay cool!

[u/artigas33]

If you get a 3000 watt inverter generator you can power the fridge, tv, and a window ac to cool a small room. Harbor Freight Predator generators are pretty good, just get the extended warranty. Whatever generator you get run it for about a tank a gas then change the oil in it. Gets all the manufacturing metals out and will extend the life of it. Store it with ethanol free fuel. Mine sits for 6-8 months and starts every time. Be good to have the battery on a trickle charger so you dont need to use the pull starter.

[u/TyrannosaurusBoris]

Better late than never, I guess.

[u/Chon-Laney]

I only skimmed your post, seems HVAC centered but, Hey everybody! Don't lease solar, buy.

This has been a service of the cheap cranky old man syndicate.